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Monday, June 18, 2018

We Bought a Farm: Our WWOOFers

Our farm has been having WWOOFers staying with us. These are individuals who volunteer their time on our farm in exchange for room and board. They stay on the second floor of our garage/barn in their own room. Upstairs is also another bedroom for our personal guests. There is a shared half-finished living room and kitchen as well as a full bathroom downstairs.

They help us on the farm for approximately 25-30 hours a week. Each WWOOFer is here for different reasons. Some are here to simply experience American culture. Others are interested in permaculture and/or organic farming and want to see if it is a good fit for them. They might be thinking of possibly buying their own farm someday.

Interested in WWOOFing with us? Please click here for more information.

#1 Dan (August-November 2015).

Dan was from Illinois. He had just graduated from college and was seeing how permaculture might fit into what he wanted to do. Dan actually stayed with us for four months. Hannah had a huge crush on him and made us laugh so hard one day when she pulled up a chair and sat down right in front of where he was working. When we asked her what she was doing, she said, "Oh. I'm just watching Mr. Dan work." Dan was also famous for how much food he could ingest! It was seriously a sight to behold. Dan helped us get our broiler chicken "business" off the ground. We stay in touch with Dan and are so excited to see where life takes him.

Review of our farm from Dan:

"The most important thing you can know about Bauernhof Kitsteiner is this: these are some of the nicest and best human beings you will ever meet. More specifically, John's knowledge of permaculture is truly vast and will be a valuable resource while you WWOOF at the Bauernhof, but even more valuable is his willingness and enthusiasm to share this with you in a theory and in practice. John's father, a master carpenter and all around handyman, has an equally vast amount to teach you about the practical construction skills necessary to actually carry out the permaculture projects around the farm and the same enthusiasm to share this knowledge. Wendi and John's mother will teach you everything else you need to know about life on the farm, from cooking, to cleaning, to so many other things you wouldn't even think of that are absolutely essential. John and Wendi do expect the utmost respect for their property, their Christian faith, and most importantly their children, no exceptions. Ultimately, WWOOFing here will leave you with not only an experience that will make you a better farmer, it will make you a better person. I couldn't think more highly of them."

#2 Daniel (April 2016)

Daniel had done a ton of different things including owning his own paint business and teaching chess. He was from Arizona. Daniel was actually basically traveling all around the USA out of his car and wanted to stay in one place for awhile. Daniel was incredibly efficient at getting the animals done, did not like the cold weather, and was really good at catching snapping turtles. He taught Abigail how to play chess and really improved both of the boys' game. Such a diverse guy!

Jordan spent the first half of his life in Paris and the second of his life in Quebec. He loved the outdoors and nature and just wanted to travel around the USA and experience our country. Jordan was still learning English but was doing a great job. He really wanted to experience all aspects of our culture. He made Isaac an awesome birthday present, did different projects with the kids, and even cooked for us! He also found a huge guinea egg nestand an awesome video for us when he left. Jordan was so much fun, and he and our family was really sad when he left.

Review of our farm from Jordan:

"I was curious about the Bauernhof Kitsteiner farm I was expecting to meet a family who's living in a beautiful area and had new and differents ways to think and live to share for woofers like me. And I was right, what a pleasure for me to learn in a such great and beautiful place where animals really seems to be happy in a place where taking care of the land is the most important. But I never expected to feel for a moment that I was a part of your family. Your kids have no ideas the chance they have to grow up with parents like you guys and I was really sad to leave you at the end. Thank you for all the love you gave me and I can't wait to see you again. :)""

#4 Emily (June 2016)

Emily was from New Zealand and was spending a year at the University of Idaho on a very prestigious scholarship! She was a geography and geology major which really made Isaac happy. She cooked us an amazing New Zealand dessert and took some great photos of our farm. We introduced her to Dairy Queen blizzards and the art of sarcasm. She also helped us map our woods, and really jumped into all aspects of our culture. She was incredibly sweet and just a pleasure to have here at The Bauernhof Kitsteiner.

Review of our farm from Emily:

"I absolutely loved my time here! As a 19 year old first time wwoofer, I felt very comfortable and welcome, and I found the work interesting, full of variety and stress-free. The Kitsteiners could not have been better hosts, they were friendly and included me in family activities, also taking me to the nearby town to experience what the area had to offer culturally. When I first arrived, I had very unexpectedly bad hayfever allergies, but they were very understanding and caring and encouraged me to rest when they could tell I was unwell. The rest of the family is lovely, the children love to talk and play games and the grandparents have a great sense of humour. This farm would suit almost any type of wwoofer, whether you are interested in permaculture, animal care, or anything else in between. I leave this farm with some great memories, having worked on a great farm with some great people, and I would do it all over again if I could :)"

#5 Eliza (June and July 2016)

Eliza currently lives in North Carolina with her long-term boyfriend, but they are looking to purchase a farm in the Pacific Northwest. She was spending the year WWOOFing to get some ideas and insight before purchasing a farm. Eliza was our oldest WWOOFer yet at 30 and she already a PhD in microbiology and immunology. I really enjoyed spending time with someone a little closer to my age! She and Isaac LOVED playing Piano Maestro together, and she did some planting in our flower beds. We look forward to staying in touch with Eliza.

Review of our farm from Eliza:

"I came to the scenic Bauernhof to study permaculture after reading John's excellent blog at tcpermaculture.com. I had a fantastic time here; not only did I learn a lot about practicality and application of permaculture on a homestead, I also thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the entire family. The majority of chores entails taking care of their animals and only takes a couple hours a day. However, there's a ton of other things you can do on the farm and they are always open to new ideas. I got to plant garden beds and trees along their swale, hunt for mushrooms in the forest, and herd the sheepies to new pastures. John is the strong silent type and you have to catch him when he's not busy (which is rare.) He is knowledgeable in many fields and will take the time to share with you if you are interested. Wendi, aka supermom, is always fun, friendly, and amazingly honest. The kids are awesome (assuming you catch Miss sassy-Hannah on a good day) and they will entertain you for hours. Things to beware of: ticks, blackberry thorns, poison ivy, hills, and Gramp's biting sarcasm. Trust me, it's worth it!"

#6 Deborah (left) (July 2016)

I decided to try a few younger WWOOFers. I was a little nervous about using anyone under 18 but was in a jam and had a very busy two week period that needed filling. Deborah is an almost 16 year old who is a part of our homeschool co-op. We had about a two week gap here at the farm with no WWOOFer and with broiler chickens, new layer chickens, and new turkeys around and my in-laws headed out of town, we really thought it would help to fill the void. I put a message on my homeschool board, and Deborah was able to fill the need. She did a a fantastic job and was eager to do things and do things right. She is very outgoing and boisterous and brought great creativity and personality to our farm. She was also one of the cleaner WWOOFers. We ask all of our WWOOFers to clean their room upon departure, but Deborah actually kept the upstairs apartment clean while she was here and had it very clean when Maggie (pictured at right) came in and overlapped with her for a few days.

Maggie is a soon to be high school senior. She is homeschooled, and we share an aunt and uncle. My Aunt Janet is married to her Uncle Ed. Maggie has a great love of the outdoors and animals and wanted to try out the farming life. She is truly one of the most peaceful and sweet women you could ever meet. The kids LOVED her (especially Hannah!) She was a beautiful presence on our farm.

Review of our farm from Maggie:

"Thank you for allowing me to live on your farm. You and your family were very loving and fun; I will miss all of you very much. May the Lord Bless you."

#8 David (September 2016)

David joined us for three weeks. He just graduated from high school and was looking for which direction he wanted to go with his life. He loves animals so he decided to give farming a try. He has decided that farming isn't his favorite, but he was amazing with the dogs and the kids LOVED him!

#9 Mary Ann (August thru November)

Mary Ann arrived at our farm at the end of August. She initially was going to stay about 7-10 days but then asked if she could stay until first snow. We honestly think of her like Mary Poppins. She gets SOOO much done, barely makes a peep, and is simply an amazing force here on the property. She is in her 60's but truly can do what most 40 year olds can do without a problem. We were so blessed when she stayed with us until November. She was pure joy here on the farm.

Review of our farm from Mary Ann:

"The rustling of the Sudan sorghum and your resident Mockingbird are beautiful memories from Bauernhof Kitsteiner. And from beautiful people it's not a coincidence. You all have etched a special place on my heart. I'm so grateful to you all and God for a wonderful time and such an educational experience. WWOOFing with children adds a very special joy."

#10 Shelby (End of September thru early November 2016)

Shelby was actually a friend of mine in the Azores. Her husband, Lane, just got out of the military, and they are taking a year off before starting real life up again. Shelby works part-time as a graphic designer from home so she is working while here on the farm. She was here for two weeks by herself, and her husband Lane joined us for two of those weeks. Shelby is one of the sweetest people I have ever met, and we will be friends for life!

Review of our farm from Shelby:

What a treat this has been! I am so grateful for your hospitality and open arms. You guys are incredible and what you are doing here is inspiring and special. I'm surprised to be laving with fewer thoughts about farming than about family and parenting and homeschooling and hospitality and church. Thanks for taking us in and giving us a front row seat -- again! I miss you all already and WILL be back."

#11 Dawn (October 9-16, 2016)

Dawn found us through JB's website, and is just going to be here for just one week. She is an engineer, and actually came here for her vacation to learn more about our farm and permaculture! I said "you gave up your vacation for us?" And she said, "I didn't give it up! I'm here!" So sweet and a real favorite of Hannah. (Hannah cried HARD when Dawn left.) We really hope Dawn comes back for more farming adventures.

Review of our farm from Dawn:

"Thank you for sharing your home and family with me. I really enjoyed being here and getting to take care of the animals. Sidge, Isaac, Abigail, and Hannah, I loved playing with you all."

#12 Lane (October 2016)

Shelby's husband Lane joined us for about two weeks here on the farm. He was fantastic in helping us with cleaning up our fencing and some other things that needed a "man's" touch. :) He also did a lot of scouting of the deer to let us know where they are living so we can hopefully get one when hunting season begins! Lane brought a lot of life and humor to our farm.

#13 Leah (November 2016)

Leah was lucky #13 here at the Bauernhof, and she was also our first strict vegetarian which was a bit of a risk for me, as I always worried how I would feed a vegetarian since we are a farm that is raising meat. But Leah was a fantastic cook and took care of most of her own food (and made some yummy dishes for us too!) Leah was living the typical stylish life in New York City with a degree and a good job when she decided to take a year and explore farming. Boy are we glad she did. What a fantastic time we had during her 2.5 week stay. We only wish she could have stayed longer. To read more about Leah, you can click here.

Review of our farm from Leah:

"I have nothing but positively GLOWING things to say about this family and this farm. I felt warmly welcomed from the moment I arrived (just as a pig was giving birth!), and my weeks here were enriching in an astounding multitude of ways, including so much practical education (on holistic management, permaculture, animal husbandry, the economics of family farming, and more) AND so many deep chats and compassionate exchanges of lifestyle perspectives, plus plenty of lighthearted play with the whole family (including four spunky kids). The work was totally reasonable -- Wendi made sure to tell me from the start that she wanted my contributions to bring me genuine joy, and both and she and John were always open to my questions, my interests, my point of view .... and even my vegetarian cooking! Bonus points: stunning location, cozy accommodations in a private room, and a flexible schedule, with brief spurts of work spread throughout the day. This is a must-WWOOF particularly if you're interested in ethical animals husbandry and permaculture principles, or if you're looking for a true cultural exchange with a loving family, but there's something for everyone here -- honestly, my richest WWOOF experience to date."

#14 Jacob (December 2016 - October 2017)

Jacob came for the month of December, and ended up staying much longer. All said and done he will be here for close to a year. Jacob is an incredibly intelligent guy who could take care of our farm for weeks at a time with no problem. He's amazing, and life would be so much more hectic without him here. Jacob was our longest term WWOOFer, and he has come back to visit periodically since leaving us. We look forward to staying in touch with him in the future. He has a home on our farm anytime!

"If you are a first-time woofer who is interested in permaculture and loves animals this is THE farm to visit. The Kitsteiners are exceedingly accommodating, good for a chat and their kids and grandparents are fun, too. Oh, and there farm is cool too and always improving. The daily chores are manageable, leaving you time to explore, read, start projects, spend time with the animals, or visit a nearby attraction. John is both patient and intelligent and if you wish to talk to him about something, he will find a way to fit you into his schedule which says a lot, I think. There is so much to learn from him so don't waste this opportunity. Read up on a question and fire away, he usually knows something helpful. If you are interested in pigs, laying chickens, and katahdin hair sheep this is the farm for you. Seasonally, the farm runs broilers and turkeys. You'll like it here."

#15 Peter (January 2017)

Peter and Tymen came in on the same day. Peter was just with us for one week -- an exchange student from China studying in the USA. While his visit was short, we so enjoyed getting to share our cultures with each other. He was a true joy and a country music fanatic!

Review of our farm from Peter:

"The word wonderful is apparently not wonderful enough to describe John and Wendi. They agreed to have me stay on their farm for only one week, mainly for cultural experiences. I’m grateful for everything they treated me with, including tasty snacks of all kinds, pills when I accidentally caught a fever, sturdy and warm boots that prevented me from the mud, and must-try sandwiches in a nearby farmer market. I’m not the best at speaking English, but they showed great patience and understandings in presence of language barriers and cultural shocks.

They own a large and hilly property that offers a natural spot for working out. Walking around alone is good exercise here, let alone all those pigs, ducks, geese, chickens, goats and fences to take care of. Unfortunately my stay here is too short to allow me to go up the hill to adventure with them, but I truly think it'll be super cool!

Another thing to mention is that as a physician who worked as a graphic designer and joined the Air Force and now runs a farm, John is a walking Wikipedia you’ll enjoying talking with and learning abundant knowledge from. Faithful Christians as they are, controversial issues in society are something they never avoid discussing about, from which you can feel their open-mindedness and intelligence. What’s more, their lovely kids showed good manners and John’s parents are just as interesting and nice as they are -- Ray is a laid-back grandpa who loves joking, while Mary is a sweet grandma who loves Ray's jokes. I did enjoy my time here with the whole big family and two other workawayers, Tyman from Netherlands and Jacob.

In a word, if you are considering paying a visit here, don’t hesitate to! They are exactly the type of the best hosts you could ever imagine!"

#16 Tymen (January 2017 and again in fall of 2017)

Tymen was with us for a month, and then returned for another week before heading back home to Holland. He is from the Netherlands, and I agreed to host a second WWOOFer (overlapping with Jacob) because he wanted to do outdoor heavy labor. And boy did he! He helped us with so much fence and tree removal. He was also Hannah's first crush -- she was absolutely addicted to Tymen. He spoke incredible English, and we really hope he'll get to visit us again someday.

Tijmen came back to us for a second wolfing experience. He has solidified himself as a member of our family now, and we hope to stay in touch with him for years to come! He even won little Abigail over which is no small task!

Review of our farm from Tymen:

"My stay on the farm was fantastic. John and Wendi are very nice people who make sure you have everything you need to help out on the farm. I learned a lot during my stay, and whenever I had a question or needed help, there was always some family member willing to assist/provide an answer. They already have a lot of experience with volunteers, so they know the ins and outs of hosting volunteers on their farm. I would definitely recommend this place for it's beautiful scenery, opportunities to learn new things, and the supportiveness of the family that lives there."

#17 Amy (March 2017)

I actually really like this picture of Amy. She is a very private person so I sort of felt like too close of a picture would be a little too much for her. While Amy describes herself as shy, I actually think she isn't as shy deep down inside and will be continuing to shine more and more. She is one of the nicest young women I have ever met, and I would love to have her live at our farm FOREVER! She was an incredible worker and actually perfected the fence moving -- a rarity in the land of WWOOFers. I cannot say enough good things about her!

Review of our farm from Amy:

"Getting to know this family was a treasure that I will hold dear for the rest of my life. They are all very kind and gifted. The land itself is magical. John, his family and we the wwoofers are transforming it into a healthy productive site. While I was there, I mainly helped care for the animals but there is plenty of other things to work on if you so desire. The most satisfying skill I learned was how to set up a temporary paddock and move the sheep every few days (managed grazing). If you want to learn about permaculture this is the place. Get ready to be inspired!!!!"

#18 Leon (April 2017)

Leon was another Dutch volunteer who had been traveling a ton around the world and just made his way into the USA. He came to us through the workaway program -- which we've been getting more and more volunteers from. He was here for some hard weeks on the fun as the sun was just starting to beat down more, and we had quite a bit of problems for our pigs -- but he always had a great attitude and was willing to help in any way.

Review of our farm from Leon:

I stayed with the this amazing family for a month and a half they were the so generous and kind to me. Learned a lot about living on a farm and taking care of animals. I also learned more about home schooling and permaculture . The kids were super nice and really ahead of their own ages. I would recommend this place to anyone that wants to experience real American hospitality. Thanks for everything!!

#19 Tim (June 2017)

Tim joined us from California -- a college student looking at seeing more of the world. What a great guy! The picture above is of him using the drone he brought to the farm! He drove here from California and was an incredibly hard worker despite the fact that our heat is a lot different from their heat. We truly enjoyed the two weeks he spent with us here on the farm.

Review of our farm from Tim:

What a great first experience for me! John and Wendi were so great and welcoming to me (as were there children and parents). I really enjoyed my two weeks at the farm and I learned so much while there. The duties I had were manageable and someone was always there to answer questions I had. Working with the animals was new and fun! And enjoying the beauty of the farm and the liveliness of the family was so enjoyable.

I absolutely recommend this farm for anyone looking for a first experience farming as well as experienced people looking for more in-depth knowledge! The family could not have been nicer and I will always remember my stay!

#20 Haley (July 2017)

I just LOVED this girl. She was young and happy and upbeat and just the type of girl you hope your own daughters can grow up to be like. She loves her family and her life and was pushing herself to go away from home and try something new. Such a sweetheart!

Review of our farm from Haley:

"This was my first work away experience and it was the perfect choice for me! The family is amazing! They were always cooking great food, and were so welcoming and kind! The kids are great and fun and you will never be bored with them!! The work was hard but fun and rewarding!! My job was feeding the animals every day. I loved my trip and it was definitely a life experience I'm glad I had! Stay with this family if you get the chance!!"

#21 Veronica (In and out beginning in fall 2017)

Not really sure where to PUT Veronica. She is a LONG time family friend (like we've known her since she was a tiny little four-year-old). She now lives about four hours and has been joining us on some weekends to help on the farm and with the kids. Veronica IS family to us, but she is majorly helping on the farm as well so I have to add her to this page.

#22 Duygu (November and December 2017)

Duygu actually found us by putting the word "Turkish" in the search engine on the workaday.info website and finding our family who has a special place in our heart for the Turkish culture. She helped us a lot with animals but also did a TON of cooking for us. I really thought I had forgotten my Turkish when she came to us, but it came flying back to me. She was an absolutely wonderful addition to our life here on the farm, and I am so blessed to have a bit of Turkey here in Tennessee.

Review of our farm from Duygu:

I do not have enough words to describe this beautiful family. All of this family's members are extremely polite, respectful, and kind. Wendi and john have 4 wonderful children who are raised with love and discipline. They have a very nice farm and while staying two months with them I was able to enjoy this peaceful and happy life. Mary and Ray (the grandparents) are two beautiful people who only add beauty and value to this family. The farm jobs are not difficult because Wendi makes it a nice and enjoyable experience. Things are well planned and organized. It is a very pleasant and even enjoyable job feeding animals.

The dinner times are a delightful pleasure and entertainment with the whole family. They cook very good food and I cooked as well. All volunteers should come to this farm and get to know this beautiful family and farm.

John is a very intelligent man who loves to read a ton. He is so knowledgeable and I have learned a lot from this family. They also have been helping me practice my English while Wendi and I have worked on Turkish. I've also gotten to teach the kiddos some Turkish as well!

I know that I will never say goodbye to this farm and this wonderful family, because I will come again for sure. Thank you Wendi and John for adding value and joy to my life!

#23 Anni (frequent visits beginning in 2017)

Anni met our family by attending a conference on the farm. She then started coming back now and then on weekends and when we had big projects to help us. She works at the deaf school in Knoxville and has become a very dear friend to me as well as someone my kids and dogs love as well! This lady is truly one of the types of people that makes the world a better place, and we love having her come and help us on the farm. She is also incredibly strong and can handle nearly any job the farm throws at her.

#24 Pilar (local friend who volunteered pictured in front)

Pilar attends our church and is hoping to start her own farm someday so she spent some time helping us here at our farm. She's a lovely lady, and while she has other commitments now that keep her from volunteering, we are so blessed for what time she did have fo us!

#25 Sicong (January 2018)

I was on a "take a break from visitors" stretch when Sicong contacted us through workaday.info. And man am I so glad he came and spent two weeks with us -- especially the two weeks of the ballet which are soooo busy. He is an incredibly intelligent, diligent, observant, and kind man. He's currently getting ready to finish up his last year at MIT, and he was just a fantastic joy to have here on our farm. We sure hope he'll come back to visit again!

Review from Sicong:

I spent a beautiful two weeks on John and Wendi’s farm. An incredible first Workaway experience that leaves me itching to go back.

The work was very reasonable and entirely manageable, and I always felt trusted on their farm and in their home. The animals were a joy to work with. Even the mischievous pigs, with their insatiable zest for life. The land is beautiful, everything you’d expect rural Appalachia to be.

Most of all, I so deeply admire this family for the great people that they are and the things they stand for. These are some of the kindest people you will ever meet. Thoughtful conversations with John and Wendi, time spent with Grandpa Ray and Grandma Mary, and afternoons hanging with the kids were such a joy. I always felt completely welcome and included in the family.

John and Wendi’s family, and their agricultural enterprise, represent some of the very best that America has to offer. And I think just about anyone can learn something from John and Wendi’s incredibly disciplined and principled parenting. Incredibly admirable, and perhaps the biggest lesson I will be taking with me.

Thank you for everything!

#26 Nico (April and May 2018)

Nico came to us via our friend/wwoofer Jacob. They were working together at another farm, and he decided to come here for about a month. Nico is an amazing guy. A tremendous worker. And super easy to have around. We were under intense renovations during the time and didn't know where/how we would eat our next meal without a kitchen, but he handled it flawlessly.

Review from Nico:

"I had the pleasure of staying with the Kitsteiners in April and May 2018 and really enjoyed the experience! Wendy and John are both incredibly nice and accommodating. I came here to deepen my knowledge of permaculture and absolutely did through the very informative conversations I had with John. It is such a great learning experience seeing the permaculture functions on their homestead and how it works for them in this region. If you come here prepare for amazing meals, great hospitality, and an incredible learning opportunity."